I chose the STRENGTH key originally for myself as I was going through a big transition in my life. My father had passed away suddenly and my family moved for the fifth time in two years. I wear my father's dog tags from his service in the Korean War, and I feel his presence all the time.
While grieving his death and the challenges of being away from friends and familiar surroundings, I also could see my daughter struggling with anxiety and depression. She is a remarkable girl who has always stayed true to her self even while adjusting to new schools and friends. She has been in treatment twice for an eating disorder and drug dependancy. During both stays in treatment she remained positive and open to a new life. In the middle of all this turmoil she graduated early from high school and made the Dean's List her first year of college. She's always had high goals and wants to make a difference in the world. She applied for and was accepted to a top tier college this fall.
And this is where the STRENGTH key comes in. I bless her with this key to let her know she is a strong, intelligent, and most importantly a kind soul. I want her to have this key as a reminder that she can do anything and be anything she wants. She has triumphed over challenges that would have caused many people to give up. I asked her to have an open heart in her new school and when she meets that person who needs this key, to pass it along knowing that it has been made in love, worn in love, and now given by love.
-Mary Ann
